As a bona fide "old guy" living in the downtown area of HB, I am in total favor of this proposal. As a kid, I used to skateboard at my high school back East. Talk about a crazy, fun, mostly harmless sport — this is it. The fact that the park at Huntington Beach High School was torn down amazed me. How this city can refer to itself as Surf City and support a giant skate competition during the U.S. Open and not support a place for kids to go and safely have fun and learn a skill they will always enjoy is just beyond me.

I, like many people, don't particularly enjoy the clatter many skateboarders make, but they need to have someplace that is safe and well-maintained. It seems to me that if anyone can do this right, it would be Vans. My kids have all moved on to college, etc., and they all knew how to skateboard. Maybe we could bulldoze one of the alcohol-supplying places we seem to have growing up around us like weeds and let the kids have a break. I doubt there are too many DUIs coming out of a skateboard park.

Advertisement

Daniel Norko

Huntington Beach

*

Welfare part of tax problem

Assemblyman Jim Silva gives some useful information about the tax burden borne by California residents ("California asks for too much in taxes," Community Commentary, April 14). However, with the unusually large budget deficit faced by the state, we need to keep an open mind and look for a proper balance of spending cuts and taxes to minimize it.

One area that politicians seem to neglect for various politically correct reasons is the fraudulent use of our generous welfare system, including Medi-Cal, free emergency-room healthcare and free or subsidized education. Illegal immigrants from all over the world are one potential source of fraud.

Another source consists of the senior legal immigrants sponsored by green card holders and U.S. citizens, who receive welfare benefits and Supplemental Security monthly checks of hundreds of dollars even though they have not worked a single day in the U.S. Instead of the sponsors being responsible for their expenses, U.S. taxpayers carry their burden.